LJ Idol Week 40: Wolf Ticket

[suesniffsglue]

Bark and BiteSome of the very best changes start off very, very small. At least, this was certainly the case for Channing Foster. He wasn't very big in the first place, but when the change began, he discovered an entirely new type of tiny

Comments

[roina_arwen]

This was very well balanced between the fairy tale / fantasy aspect and real-world issues about bullying and abuse. I love that Channing maintained his human-reasoning mind despite being in an animal's body, and the open ending about his plans for his father was spot on.

(I also liked that he "slithered" to the fridge to get the beer despite being in human form at the time!)

[suesniffsglue]

Thanks so much! I didn't even notice the slither part.. heh. Great catch!

[crisp_sobriety]

Really liked this!

I dug how you just let the action speak for itself, without getting caught up in the hows and whys (which often spells the kiss of death for short fantastical stories), and the contrast between the scenes where the boy explores his powers and any scene involving the father. The ending was awesomely satisfying.

I also like how it was something as innocuous as learning to be a fish which gave him courage. There's something very sincere and true about that.

Great work! :)

[suesniffsglue]

Thank you so much! I was worried the ending was too dark :D

[watching_ships]

I love the way you chose to do the ending! Honestly, it might even be more sinister that way. I enjoyed the sort of fairy tale tone. Great work!

[swirlsofblue]

This piece inspires and evokes such strong feelings for Channing right from the start, by the end of the second para I really wanted to just give the kid a hug. And that feeling only grows throughout the piece which in turn makes Channing's growth so impactful and delightful to read. Brilliantly done.

[tsuki_no_bara]

i was actually expecting channing to turn into something right around "fuck you", but to be honest i think the ending you wrote is much better. (and i'm glad you didn't write the mauling - the darkness in the story is kind of subtle and personal, and wolf-channing ripping into his dad would change the tone. besides, SO BLOODY.) i love that "he didn't sink. he could swim" is both metaphorical and literal. it's really well done.